Blade control unit for bulldozing machines



Jan. 13, 1953 R. 6. LE TOURNEAU 2,624,961

BLADE CONTROL UNIT FOR BULLDOZING MACHINES File d June 17, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. R. G. LeTbuJ-neau Jan. 13, 1953 R. (5. LE TOURNEAU 2,624,961

BLADE CONTROL UNIT FOR BULLDOZING MACHINES Filed June 17, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. R. G. Le 75urnsau Mimi:

HTTYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLADE CONTROL UNIT FOR BULLDOZING MACHINES Application June 17, 1948, Serial No. 33,570

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to improvements in a self-propelled bulldozing machine which includes a vertically adjustable bulldozing blade extending transversely at the front end thereof.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a novel, power-actuated control unit for the accomplishment of selective vertical adjustment of the bulldozing blade.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a blade control unit, as above, which embodies a cable winch, a suspension frame, and a block and tackle cable system in an effective combination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blade control unit, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein the suspension frame, which upstands at the front of the machine, comprises a novel structural arrangement of a pair of arms attached at their lower ends to the frame of the machine and thence converging upwardly, in a transverse plane, to rigid connection with a sheave housing of the cable system.

It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a blade control unit which does not interfere in any material respect with the operators view forwardly, or of the bulldozing blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blade control unit which is practical and rugged in its structure.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a self-propelled bulldozing machine embodying the blade control unit.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such bulldozing machine showing particularly the A-frame of the blade control unit.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the block and tackle cable system.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the invention is embodied in connection with a self-propelled bulldozing machine which includes a main frame, indicated generally at I; such main frame being supported for movement along the ground, by large-diameter, rubber-tire front and rear wheels, indicated at 2 and 3, respectively.

The rear portion of the main frame I supports an engine assembly, indicated generally at 4, and ahead of said engine assembly there 2 is a transmission housing 5. The operators seat 6 is disposed along side the transmission housing 5 ahead of the assembly 4.

A. vertically adjustable bulldozing blade I extends transversely at the front of the machine ahead of the wheels 2, and is supported by longitudinal push beams 8 which extend rearwardly outside of the wheels 2. At their rear ends the push beams 8 are connected to the main frame I, intermediate its ends and on opposite sides, by mounts 9, which permit of vertical swinging of said longitudinal push beams 8.

The blade control unit, which comprises the essence of the present invention, is constructed as follows:

The main frame I of the machine includes, on opposite sides thereof, upstanding case's I0 which house the drive mechanism for the wheels 2 and 3; the forward end portions of the cases I0 being exposed on their inner or adjacent faces.

A pair of heavy-duty tubular arms I I, cut diagonally at the ends thereof, are affixed to the inner faces of the cases II! adjacent their forward upper corners, as at I2, preferably by welding, and thence said arms converge'upwardly in a transverse plane.

At their upper ends the diagonally cut arms II are secured in fixed relation to opposite sides of a sheave housing I3, as at I4, preferably by welding.

The sheave housing I3 is disposed so that its flat sides face laterally, and said housing is open front and rear to the extent necessary for the passage of cable runs, as will hereinafter appear.

A pair of transverse-axis, vertically spaced sheaves I5 and I6 are disposed in the sheave housing I3, while a corresponding pair of transverse-axis, vertically spaced sheaves I1 and I8 are carried in another sheave housing I9 afiixed to the back of the bulldozing blade 'I.

The sheave housings I3 and I9 are disposed centrally of the sides of the machine; i. e. in the plane of the longitudinal center line thereof.

A cable 20 is anchored to the main frame l, as at 2|, and is then reeved as follows:

From the anchor 2| the cable 20 extends down to and under the sheave I8; up to and over the sheave it; down to and under the sheave I7; and thence up to and over the sheave I5. From the sheave I5 the cable runs over a direction-chan ing sheave 22 in another sheave housing 23 affixed to housing I3 directly rearwardly of the sheave I5.

From the back side of the direction-changing sheave 22 the cable extends downwardly, as a pull reach 24, which then is wound about the cable drum 25 of a reversible winch unit 26 mounted on the front of the transmission housing 5 and driven from the transmission (not shown) therein. The axis of the cable drum 25 extends horizontally lengthwise of the machine so that the pull reach 24 runs easily onto, or passes off, the cable drum 25 with respect to the direction-changing sheave 22.

The reversible winch unit 23 is of the type which includes a normally set holding brake; such winch unit being controlled from the operators seat 6 by a lever 21 which upstands from the unit adjacent said seat.

The assembly of the tubular arms H, which form in effect an A-shaped suspension frame is stabilized against play or vibration by means of a brace 28 connected between the sheave housing 13; and the transmission housing 5.

As the winch unit 26 is laterally offset with respect to the longitudinal center line of the implement, and on the side thereof opposite the seat 6, the cable drum 25, and the pull reach 2 are clear of the operators legs.

Also, the described blade control unit is so constructed, including the A-frame arrangement of the arms II, that the operators forward vision, and view of the bulldozing blade 7, is not materially impaired.

The above described blade control unit is operative to selectively regulate the vertical position of the bulldozing blade 1 as follows:

Upon running of the winch unit 26 in a direction to wind the pull reach 24 onto the cable drumv 25, the described block and tackle cable system becomes of less effective length, swinging the blade I upwardly with a positive action, yet which action is readily controlled by the lever 27. Conversely, running of the winch unit 28 in a direction to pay the pull reach 24 off the cable drum 25 lengthens the block and tackle cable system and lowers the blade.

In additionto providing a rugged A-type suspension frame, the described arrangement of the tubular arms ll permits of access to the mechanisms at the front end of the bulldozing machine, assuch suspension frame is wholly open below the sheave housing It.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A blade contral unit for a bulldozing machine which includes a main frame having rigid, transversely spaced cases at the forward end thereof, and a transverse, vertically adjustable bulldozing blade ahead of said main frame; comprising a pair of arms fixed to said cases and converging upwardly in a transverse plane toform a suspension frame, a sheave housing rigidly secured between the upper ends of said arms as a unitary part of the suspension frame, a cable system extending between the sheave housing and blade, said system including a pull reach depending from adjacent the sheave housing, an operators seat, and a winch unit; the seat and winch unit being in transversely spaced relation rearward of but relatively close to the suspension frame, and said pull reach leading diagonally downward to said winch unit in clearance relation to the space directly ahead of the seat.

2. In combination, a bulldozing machine including a main frame wheel-supported for travel along the ground, a transverse bulldozing blade vertically adjustably mounted ahead of the main frame, an upstanding suspension frame of generally A-shape secured to the main frame at its forward end, the top portion of said suspension frame being generally on the longitudinal center line of the machine, a cable system connected between the blade substantially centrally of its ends and said top portion of the suspension frame, said system including a pull reach, and a winch unit on the machine to which the pull reach is connected; the machine including an operator's seat disposed forwardly adjacent the suspension frame, and laterally offset from said longitudinal center line of the machine.

ROBERT LE TOURNEAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,450,271 Weikert et a1. Apr. 3, 1923 1,586,417 Fotjik May 25, 1926 2,081,939 Le Tourneau June 1, 1937 2,169,606 Hutchins et a1 Aug. 15, 1939 2,210,156 Ufen Aug. 6, 1940 2,265,395 Rau Dec. 9, 1941 2,325,730 Arentzen et al Aug. 3, 1943 2,375,801 Le Tourneau May 15, 1945 2,404,926 Schmacht July 30, 19 .6 2,469,187 Warnock et al. May 3, 1949 

